The Hardline- 2026 AFC predictions

0:00I'm Sam Slaton, CEO and co-owner of Sante Center for Healing. We're celebrating 30 years of transforming lives. Every day, families call us in crisis, and every day we show them that recovery is possible. If you or someone you love is struggling, Sante is here for you right now. Please reach out at SanteCenter.com. It is time to look at our AFC predictions, guys, because we've got to get these on wax. And this year... I'm a lot of thought into this. I don't believe you. This year, I completed them during why today doesn't suck. And I would like to apologize to anyone who heard me this morning, because I believe my Super Bowl team will not make the playoffs now. So I... Wait, you can't do that. Why not? It took you like three hours to completely eliminate your Super Bowl team? Well, I wasn't expecting them to ask me, so I just threw it against the wall.

1:03You just said the Steelers? Uh, I said the Chiefs, and I don't think the Chiefs make my playoffs. What do you think? What a panic! What in the world? I don't know. Well, actually, it's an old broadcaster trick that if I make different selections everywhere, I can act like I was right at the end of the season. So, Lichy and I are a little secret to their kids on how to do predictions. Just change them each time. Okay. Yeah. That's why I'm not in picks with friends. So how do you guys want to do this? Division by division? Yeah, we can go east first, maybe. Okay, east first it is. I will be taking two teams from the east to make the playoffs, and I do believe they made the playoffs last year. I believe I will be taking the Buffalo Bills to win the division and the New England Patriots to win the Wild Card, which is a flip-flop of last year, I do believe. I think. Is there anyone on the planet that doesn't have Buffalo in New England as the top two teams

2:07in that division in some order? Like literally on the planet. There should not be. No. The Bills were the Wild Card last year if you're trying to remember the division winners, Denver, New England, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh, Houston, Buffalo and the Chargers were the Wild Cards. Yeah, I've got Buffalo winning as well. I don't think that we're going to see a repeat. I also think that I'm just throwing this out there. Okay. So you can make a note of this if you want. You don't have to if you don't want to. But I think that the Mike Vrabble Diana Rucini thing is going to rear its ugly head at some point during this season and manifest itself. Can I finish? Can I finish? And manifest itself. It's Ross Perot. Look at that. In a way. Well, it's so political. And manifest itself in a way that we haven't seen yet. Okay. Okay, vague.

3:08Well, again. Did you see today's report? No. That when she takes her next job, it will begin with her tell all of the incident. So that's what she's selling. That appearing on the day of the Patriots season opener already. It's beginning Corby. See, I think that we're going to they're going to chip away at that Patriots thing and it's going to it's going to get to them eventually. I do think that they're going to win enough games to sneak into the playoffs, but I don't think that they're going to win this division. Just my little HSO. I am here to tell you you are wrong. I believe in the power of the new family puppy. And I think that Patriots are going to repeat as division champs and the bills will be the wild card. Let's go to the north where I have two playoff teams this year, guys.

4:09I have the Bengals winning the division and I have the Ravens with a wild card. So two teams that were out of the playoffs last year, I've got them both going in. Boy, a lot of people are high on the Bengals this year and I know that they've tried their damnedest to shore up the the holes that have kind of bit them in the ass over the last couple of years. What a weird Joe borough was, I mean, you think about it. He was a couple of plays away from winning a Super Bowl and being a made man forever. And then because of injuries and because of offensive line failures and defensive failures, they've just kind of fallen off the map. It's been a weird few years for the Bengals. But I'm with you. I think that they buck back up and end up at the top of this thing. I think that the talk is real. Who was it that we had on? Was it Moose talking about the Bengals? Yeah, it was DJ.

5:10Yeah, he said that they basically are the AFC mirror image of the Cowboys this year. Yeah, yeah, because the Cowboys definitely have taken a step back over the last couple of years and nobody really knows what to expect. They had a bunch of pieces and things look different. They'll be different, I don't know, but the Bengals seem to, yeah, they kind of seem to resonate with that description. So I'm with you, stern man. I'm going to take the Bengals. And plus, I just don't know the Ravens have been so steady atty for so long with that same coach that, not saying a new coach can and put new blood in there, but I'm not buying it until I see it. The other thing that should be pointed out about those AFC North teams is they both, they are the lucky recipient this year of the South South rotation. Oh my God. The AFC North gets to play both cells for their non-divisional games. And I think that helps your win total get boosted. Dave? I am going to flip flop your picks, Bob.

6:12I have the Ravens winning the division and the Bengals as the Wildcars. And we'd like to apologize to the Steelers, everybody. Nobody's buying these Steelers with a big mic and a rod. No. I would be, if I'm a Bengal Steelers fan, this is the lamest year ever. Like what are we doing? What are we doing? It is puzzling. It is. To the South we go. And I know everyone's hot on Jacksonville. Maybe I will live to regret it, but I will be leaving them out of the party. I am taking Houston as your one playoff team. It's impossible to think this art about the South. It's impossible to pick against the Texans because of their defense. But I also, I'm also a little bit weirdly high on what I saw from the cult at the beginning

7:14of last year before everybody got hurt and they kind of blew up. But not enough to put them in the playoffs and no, I am not a believer in what the, what the jags are selling either. So 13 and four though. I know. 13 and four. Yeah, I know. Okay, well, Houston's in for me. Just Houston for you. Yeah, I don't think anybody else makes it out of there. Dave. H down, bro. Okay. That's the easiest one, right? That's the, that's the one that's a no brainer. Yeah, leaving 13 when Jackson built out of the playoffs altogether. I thought that was a real hot take, but apparently everyone agrees. So we move on to next source. No one cares about the jags in the West Denver, winning the division. And I sat there and wrestled chiefs and chargers and despite putting the chiefs in the Super Bowl just this morning, I now have them missing the playoffs and the chargers will be my final wild card team.

8:15So I'm going to go against all the trends and I think this is a big bounce back year for the chiefs. I think they figure out a way to get it done and they win that division and the Broncos will be the wild card. But I just, I feel like Patrick Mahomes, even though he's going to be a little compromise early on. I think there's so much to prove this year for him. Matter of fact, write this down to you. Let's do a Patrick Mahomes segment tomorrow. I would love to discuss further what we expect to see out of him and the chiefs. But yeah, I like that. I think the chargers are third. They, and then the Raiders are bringing up the rear. Brock Bowers out by the way for a couple of weeks. Yeah, I, I hate what the chiefs have done defensively. How about that? Yes, fine. I just, I just don't buy the secondary and honestly when they were at their best, it was because Spags defense was really helping and I just don't know about that. Don't know about the offensive line.

9:16Really don't care for the wide receiving group. I don't know, man. And Kelsey's a thousand years old. It just, it's not good guys. So you're super old. Dave, I'm sorry, my bigger part. No, that's okay. I think that Justin Herbert is going to be too distracted by Madison Beers. And so I don't think the chargers make the playoffs. The Raiders are not ready yet. I agree with Corby. It's a bounce back year for the chiefs and the Broncos are your wild card. You're super bowl from the AFC. I thought about this for a long time and I almost pulled the trigger on the Bengals. I almost did. And I'm going to go with Buffalo. Me too. Me too. Really? Yeah, I know. All right. Well, that's pretty good. I think they're due. They got it. They are due. They've got to, I mean, they've have the new stadium this year. I don't have them winning the division, but I do think they go to the Super Bowl.

10:18Yeah, all three of us have Buffalo. And I believe I've taken Buffalo each of the last five years to go to the Super Bowl. So we'll see how that works out for me. And sorry to the chiefs. I've had a rough afternoon at my house. Truck drivers. The holiday rush is here. Now is the perfect time to become a Schneider team truck driver. Schneider team drivers can earn over $4,000 in incentives when they work between November 2nd and December 23rd. Schneider team drivers also enjoy no touch freight. Access to Schneider's newest equipment and sign on bonuses up to $20,000. Need a driving partner? Schneider will help you find one. Don't let the holiday rush pass you by. Apply now at Schneiderjobs.com. Never notice how the second you lock in your picks, you completely changes a person. Before kick off your chilling, relaxed, maybe even a little bit bored. Then you lock your picks in. Now you're staying at three feet from the TV because somehow that's helping. You're googling weather reports from a stadium eight states away and your screaming just

11:19throw it to them. Like you've got a direct line to the quarterback. Oh, I love that. I honestly think that's the best part of sports. With the outcome, the sweat that stretch between making your pick and finding out if you're a genius. That is why I play. And for those of us who watch to sit up and not sit back, it's gotta be underdog. So this season, don't just watch, lock in with underdog and give every game a pulse. Download underdog to play Keep Your Million. Start with $1 million, make it through all 20 picks, and walk away with whatever's left in bonus funds. Underdog. Unleash your dog. You've all risk including total loss of positions, content is promotional and not a recommendation to trade, term supply, promotion issued by Thalia. Truck drivers. The holiday rush is here. Now is the perfect time to become a Schneider team truck driver. Schneider team drivers can earn over $4,000 in incentives when they work between November 2nd and December 23rd. Schneider team drivers also enjoy no touch freight, access to Schneider's newest equipment and sign on bonuses up to $20,000.

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